1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Split Second. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The stasis of the play occurs before Willis attempts to steal the car. Val is a black police officer in New York City. He is happily married and works to live up to his father’s expectations who was also a police officer. The play was written in 1987 but could also take place in the present. Willis is trying to steal a car and Val is an off-duty police officer who decides to intervene.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrustion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
The intrusion occurs when Val talks to his friend Charlie. This is when his conviction first starts to shake and thereby creates the internal struggle he experiences for the rest of the play. During his interview with the police chief, he is confident in his answers and in his story. It isn't until his conversation with Charlie that he starts to question whether her did the right thing. This turning point drives the plot line for the rest of the play.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? The unique factor is that Val kills Willis. He could have just arrested him but after being agitated, he kills him. If this had not happened, things would be business as usual and Val would have just filed a normal police report. 4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Val tell the truth? Will Val go to jail? Will the police department believe Val’s story?
5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
In the first scene, Val is against Willis. After Val kills Willis, Val experiences an internal struggle about whether he should confess or not. He then experiences conflicts with the police chief, his wife, and his father. His father thinks he should confess while Alea thinks he should continue telling his story of self-defense. The play ends with Val sticking to his story of self-defense during his official statement to the police department.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second. Val shooting Willis is clearly the most dramatic event. Alea calling Rusty also has the potential to be a dramatic event.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”) The initial image of a black cop shooting a white suspect is powerful. It challenges the typical image of a black man being shot and killed by white cops. However, once context is provided, it serves to prove a point about police and community relations. The second image of a black police chief discussing the death of a white man with his black officer is also powerful. It gives the audience the impression that the chief will likely side with his officer. Instead, he thoroughly questions him in order to verify whether his story is true or not. Another important image is the one in the final scene where the lights dim as Val decides not to tell the truth about his actions.
The title of the play, split second, refers to how quickly things can change in an individual’s life based on the actions they decide to take. Val decides to shoot Willis in a split second without really taking the time to think about the consequences this could have on his life and the lives of those closest to him.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second. Race Marriage Father/Son Relationships
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second? The relationship between Val and his father, Rusty, touches on the theme of father/son relationships. Val is always trying to make his father proud. This is especially difficult because Rusty was a police officer. Rusty constantly criticizes modern police tactics and blames Val for not being a good enough cop. When Val tells him about killing Willis, Rusty and Val get into a huge argument about morals and ethics. Alea disagrees with Rusty and pressures her husband into doing what is right for their family. This also shows the family dynamics of a married couple as well as the relationship between daughter/father-in-law.
Ignore Discussion post below:
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Split Second. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The stasis of the play occurs before Willis attempts to steal the car. Val is a black police officer in New York City. He is happily married and works to live up to his father’s expectations who was also a police officer. The play was written in 1987 but could also take place in the present. Willis is trying to steal a car and Val is an off-duty police officer who decides to intervene.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrustion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
The intrusion occurs when Val talks to his friend Charlie. This is when his conviction first starts to shake and thereby creates the internal struggle he experiences for the rest of the play. During his interview with the police chief, he is confident in his answers and in his story. It isn't until his conversation with Charlie that he starts to question whether her did the right thing. This turning point drives the plot line for the rest of the play.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor is that Val kills Willis. He could have just arrested him but after being agitated, he kills him. If this had not happened, things would be business as usual and Val would have just filed a normal police report.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Val tell the truth?
Will Val go to jail?
Will the police department believe Val’s story?
5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE:
In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
In the first scene, Val is against Willis. After Val kills Willis, Val experiences an internal struggle about whether he should confess or not. He then experiences conflicts with the police chief, his wife, and his father. His father thinks he should confess while Alea thinks he should continue telling his story of self-defense. The play ends with Val sticking to his story of self-defense during his official statement to the police department.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
Val shooting Willis is clearly the most dramatic event.
Alea calling Rusty also has the potential to be a dramatic event.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The initial image of a black cop shooting a white suspect is powerful. It challenges the typical image of a black man being shot and killed by white cops. However, once context is provided, it serves to prove a point about police and community relations.
The second image of a black police chief discussing the death of a white man with his black officer is also powerful. It gives the audience the impression that the chief will likely side with his officer. Instead, he thoroughly questions him in order to verify whether his story is true or not.
Another important image is the one in the final scene where the lights dim as Val decides not to tell the truth about his actions.
The title of the play, split second, refers to how quickly things can change in an individual’s life based on the actions they decide to take. Val decides to shoot Willis in a split second without really taking the time to think about the consequences this could have on his life and the lives of those closest to him.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
Race
Marriage
Father/Son Relationships
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second?
The relationship between Val and his father, Rusty, touches on the theme of father/son relationships. Val is always trying to make his father proud. This is especially difficult because Rusty was a police officer. Rusty constantly criticizes modern police tactics and blames Val for not being a good enough cop. When Val tells him about killing Willis, Rusty and Val get into a huge argument about morals and ethics. Alea disagrees with Rusty and pressures her husband into doing what is right for their family. This also shows the family dynamics of a married couple as well as the relationship between daughter/father-in-law.